A cold and snowy November in Northern and Eastern Main

...A cold and snowy November...

Through November 20th the average temperature at
Caribou of 31 degrees was 2.7 degrees below normal. Fifteen of
the first 20 days of the month have had an average temperature
that was below normal. It has been the coldest November (Nov 1st-20th ) since 2004.

A total of 18.1 inches of snow has been observed so far this
month, which is 10.9 inches above normal. Last year only 5.2
Inches of snow had fallen by November 20th.

The first measurable snow of the season fell on November 1st, and
was followed by a major snow storm on the 2nd that produced the
earliest ever calendar day double digit snowfall on record at
Caribou. Snow has been on the ground nearly all month, although
the official snow depth briefly dropped to zero on the 12th and
13th, but patches of snow were still on the ground.

At Bangor, the average temperature this month (through November 20th) of 35 degrees is
3.8 degrees below normal. Like Caribou, fifteen of the first 20
days of the month have had an average temperature that was below
normal. It has been the coldest November (month to date) since
1992.

A total of 14.7 inches of snow has been observed so far this
month, which is 13.9 inches above normal. It has been the
snowiest start to November (through the 20th) since 1968. Last year
only a trace of snow had fallen by this point in the month. The
foot of snow that fell on the 2nd smashed the previous record for
the date of only 1/2 inch in 1951, and was the earliest double
digit snowfall on record at Bangor by 2 weeks.

Thanksgiving Day Weather at Bangor and Caribou through the years

Since being fixed at the fourth Thursday in November by law in 1941, the holiday in the United States can occur on any date from November 22^nd to the 28^th. When it falls on November 22^nd or 23^rd, it is not the last Thursday, but the penultimate Thursday in November. Regardless, it is the Thursday proceeding the last Saturday of November.  Prior to 1941 Thanksgiving Day was the last Thursday of November.  For the purposes of this write-up we will examine the weather on Thanksgiving Day since 1941.

At Bangor, the warmest Thanksgiving was in 1953 when the high temperature was 60 degrees.  The lowest temperature observed was 7 above in 1974.  The lowest high temperature observed was 19 degrees in 1989.  The normal high ranges from 40F on the 28^th to 43 on the 22^nd.  The normal low ranges from 24F on the 28^th to 27F on the 22^nd.

What are the chances of a white Thanksgiving?  We will define a white Thanksgiving as having at least 1 inch of snow on the ground on Thanksgiving Morning.  Over the years, a white Thanksgiving has been observed 15 percent of the time.  The snowiest Thanksgiving was in 1987 when 11.8 inches of snow was observed.

At Caribou, the warmest Thanksgiving was in 1953 when the high temperature was 61 degrees.  The lowest temperature observed was 1 above in 1951.  The lowest high temperature of 17 degrees was observed in 1989. The normal high ranges from 33F on the 28^th to 35F on the 22^nd.  The normal low ranges from 19F on the 28^th to 22F on the 22^nd.

What are the chances of a white Thanksgiving?  The chances are much better at Caribou with an inch or more of snow on the ground 61 percent of the time on Thanksgiving morning.  The greatest snow depth on Thanksgiving was 25 inches in 1974 when two major snow storms affected the area in the week leading up to Thanksgiving. The snowiest Thanksgiving Day was in 1971 when 7.7 inches of snow was observed.